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Your Views Saturday, July 21

Regarding “State's oldest inmates say it's time for release” (News, July 15): Remember the age of the school aide in Perry.

Virginia Reid, Elk City

Arnold Cowen, 87, a former teacher's aide, pleaded guilty in February to molesting 10 Perry elementary school girls in 2016 and 2017.

There for a reason

Regarding “State's oldest inmates say it's time for release” (News, July 15): Woe to me, an old inmate! So say Donald Vaughan, Arlin Mauer, Carroll Gregg and others who are locked up in prison for life. Those interviewed included a dozen aging inmates, state officials and "experts" in an article about the state's 350 inmates who are 70 years old or older. The reporter forgot, though, to balance the reporting by interviewing and getting the perspectives of victims or family members of those the inmates hurt or killed many years ago or of prosecutors. Could it be the prisoners were sentenced for one or more life terms for a reason?

It's true that very bad men and women whom juries and judges put in jail for long periods of time get old in jail and we, the taxpayer, pay for their upkeep for a long time. That's the way of crime and punishment.

Richard Stephens, Midwest City

Destroy the elitists

Here we go again, elitists trying to put their will against the wishes of the people. In this case, the elitists are the doctors. The people must flex their muscles and destroy these elitists. The voters have made their wishes known with a 57 percent majority favoring medical marijuana. The Legislature must act to protect the wishes of the people. We have a state regulatory agency trying to make law and go against the will of the people. Heads must roll at the state Health Department.

Jim Davis, Moore

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